"The news is not good," declared
Secretary William
Daley of the U.S. Department of Commerce. "The drought
of 1999 remains with us in the new centuryand our data
indicate drought conditions are probably going to get worse before
they get better."

(Click image for larger view of NOAA spring drought forecast.)

Several southern states experienced
their driest February on record; and the spring drought outlook
released today appears bleak.

"The La
Niña pattern which has dominated the United States
for the past two years has created a serious moisture deficit
in many areas. This could seriously impact farmers, water resource
managers, navigation interests and the tourism industry. Forewarned
is forearmed," said NOAA Administrator D.
James Baker.

Click images for
larger view.

NOAA Administrator James Baker
explains that La Niña is responsible for the dry conditions
across the USA. Commerce Secretary William Daley, right, discussed
the economic impact of drought.

The spring drought forecast
says the drought is going to persist and, in some areas, intensify.
Hardest hit will be southern Arizona, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi,
Arkansas, Alabama, Tennessee, Florida and Georgia in the south,
and Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois and Indiana in the north central
U.S.

Secretary Dan
Glickman of the U.S. Department of Agriculture noted, "We
saw last summer just what a drought can do to farmers. Looking
to the future, we need to be ahead of the curve, prepared for
dry weather when it comes and equipped with the mechanisms that
will protect farmers and prevent widespread losses."

Drought is a serious threat
to the health, well-being and economy of the nation, causing
economic and social losses comparable to that of major hurricanes.
Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama all experienced their driest
February in 106 years. Already this year wildfires have claimed
208,000 acresnearly four times the losses at this time
last year. The areas impacted by the drought of 2000, according
to NOAA, parallel the drought of 1988, which was the most costly
weather disaster in history with an estimated $40 billion in
losses. The average annual cost of droughts is over $6 billion.

Last year's NWS climate forecast
anticipated drier conditions in the southern U.S. According to
Jack Kelly,
Director of the National Weather Service, "This year, for
the first time, we are issuing a drought forecast. We are able
to do this because of the advances made by the climate research
community."

NOAA scientists also point
out drier than normal conditions mean a reduced possibility of
significant river flooding this spring. However, Kelly cautions
communities to be on guard against severe weather and flash flooding.

U.S.
Geological Survey Director
Charles G.
Groat noted, "Based on data from the USGS's nationwide
stream gage network, there are some areas of the country
particularly east of the Mississippi Riverwhere streamflows
are well below normal for this time of year. "Think of it
as not having enough money in the bank. We have not had enough
water during our normally wet winter to put in our groundwater
bank for our normally dry summer and fall. We anticipate additional
drought problems in the months ahead based on the below normal
streamflows and groundwater levels we're seeing now."